Detachable link for pipecutting tools



June 9, 1953 J. B. GILL 2,641,103

DETACHABLE LINK FOR PIPECUTTING TOOLS Filed Jan. 24, 1950 INVENTOR. JohnB. 61']! Patented June 9, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DETACHABLE LINK FOR PIPECUTTING.

TOOLS John B. Gill, San Francisco, Calif assignor to- PilotManufacturing Company, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of CaliforniaApplication January 24, 1950, Serial No. 140,293

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a pipe cutting tool andcontemplates certain further developments in the pipe cutting toolsdescribed in United States Patents Number 2,381,156 of August 7, 1945,and Number 2,433,606 of December 30, 1947'.

In the latter patent it was proposed to provide a pipe cutting toolemploying a plurality of arcuate links joined to form a chain adapted towrap around a pipe to be cut, to provide means cooperating with anysuitable pair of adjacent links for drawing the intervening joints awayfrom; the pipe and for drawin the two outer joints together, whereby thetwo links were made to form an are over the pipe, and whereby theoverall length of the chain was reduced. In the present invention asimilar principle is used, but a number of desirable features have beenincorporated which make the pipe cutting tool more convenient tomanipulate, more adaptable for adjustment to a wide range of differentpipes and which allow changes in the operative length of the tool to beeffected with ease and without any danger of losing any parts which haveto be worked for effecting the changes.

More particularly it is proposed to organize the tool into a differentnumber of independent units which may be readily taken out of the lengthof the chain and may be readily reinserted.

It is further proposed to provide for a basic 7 unit which has a numberof individual units permanently fastened together and which is intendedfor cutting operations on the smallest sized pipes within the range forwhich the tool is adaptable.

It is further proposed to provide an additional number of individualunits adapted for insertion into the chain to make the tool adaptablefor larger sized pipes and to provide special coupling means whichrender the insertion and removal of the individual units easy and avoidall danger of losing any of the parts used in the operation.

And finally, it is proposed to provide a new mounting means for thecutter which involves a radially projecting handle adapted for advancingand retracting the cutter and at the same time adapted to be used as oneof the handles by means of which the chain is turned about the pipe incutting operations.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will befully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 shows my pipe cutting tool in end view asapplied to a pipe,

Figure 2, a longitudinal section through the cutter mounting used in mytool,

Figure 3, adetail view as seen from line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4, an end view of the mounting means, and

Figure 5, a side view of the detail portion shown in Figure 3, withparts in different positions to explain the operation of the coupling.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, Iwish tohaveit understood that various changes and modifications may be made withinthe scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my pipe cutting tool is shown inFigure I as being arranged about the pipe I for cutting operations. Thetool comprises a plurality of units 2 each of which consists of a pairof links 3 pivoted together as at 4", and a pair of auxiliary links 5'pivoted at one end to the links 3 intermediate their lengths as shown:at; B. and pivotally connected at their other ends as at. l. The pivots4E and l are made in the form of nuts: adapted. to receive the handle 8,one end of which is revolvable in the nut at the pivot 4 while anintermediate section of the handle 8 is threaded. into the nut on thepivot i so that a turning, movement. of the handle 8 causes the pivots 4and l to move. toward one another or; away from one another whereby theouter ends of the links 3 are moved toward one another or away from oneanother for adjusting the overall active length of the two links aboutthe pipe I. These individual units'are substantially the same as thoseshown in the Patent No. 2,433,606- and therefore. need not be describedwith greater detail. It should be observed that the links are arrangedin spaced pairs which are held in spaced relation by suitable spacingmembers indicated at 9. The handle 8 extends radially with respect tothe pipe and terminates, at its outer end, in a spherical knob ID bymeans of which it may be turned about its own axis or about the axis ofthe pipe to be cut.

In carrying out the present invention I provide a base unit comprising anumber of individual units heretofore described, and these units arepermanently pivoted together at their ends as shown at H, each of thepivots carrying a guide roller or tracer 12 having a central taperedridge l3 adapted to initially mark the pipe and to subsequently followthe groove cut into the pipe by the cutter blade so as to cause the toolto follow a true path around the pipe.

A cutter unit I4 is permanently pivoted to one of the end units by oneof the pivots I I and comprises a pair of spaced straps I5 having ablock I6 secured centrally therebetween, the block having a tube I1projecting radially therefrom. A nut I8 is threaded upon the outer endof the tube, and a handle shank I9 is threaded into the nut as at 20,the two threads being made to have the same pitch or number of threadsper inch. An elongated cutter blade 2I is slidable in the tube I1 andthe block I6, this blade being fiat and being held against rotation byengaging in two diametrically opposed slots 22 extending from theopening 23 accommodating the blade.

The blade 2I is formed. near its outer end, with a circular hole 24 anda slot 25 extending from the hole to the rear edge. The handle shank I9is formed with a reduced extension 26 fitting in the slot 25 and a ball2'1 at the end of the extension fitting into the hole 24 so that theblade 2| may be advanced and retracted in the tube I! by a turningmovement of the shank I9. When the blade is retracted completely, withits rear end projecting beyond the rear end of the tube H, the shank I9may be freed of the blade by a simple sidewise movement. 4

The free end of the last link of the chain is secured upon the free endof the blade-carrying link in the manner shown at 28 and in the detailillustrations of Figure 3 and Figure 5.

The two straps I5 carry the pivot pin H on which the roller I2 isrevolvably supported. The two straps forming the end links 3 to becoupled to the straps I5 are cut transversely of the pivot pin I I asshown at 30 so as to provide semi-circular notches 3| adapted to fitover the pivot pin I I when pushed up against the latter from the side.

The nearest adjacent spacing member 9 is made to project beyond thesides of the link straps as at 32 to receive the latch members 33 whichare revolvable thereon and which may be clamped upon the outer faces ofthe link straps by means of wing nuts 34 threaded upon the ends of thespacing member 9. The latch members have corresponding holes 35 in theends thereof, and these holes are spaced with respect to the spacingmember 9 so as to fit over the pivot pin II when swung in the properdirection. The opposite ends of the latch members 33 are bent away fromthe link straps as at 36 to facilitate disengagement from the pivot pinII at the hole 35.

It will be noted that in this manner the end link of the last unit maybe quickly secured upon the end pivot pin of the straps l5 by merelypushing the straps of the end links 3 up againstthe pivot pin and thenthrowing the free end of the latch member 33 over the pivot pin,securing the same in place by tightening the wing nuts 34. Disengagementmay be readily effected by loosening the wing nuts 34 and freeing thelatch member by a slight tap on the bent rear end 36 or in any othermanner. Since it is unnecessary to remove th wing nuts for eitherpurpose they may be permanently held to the assembly by slightlyenlarging the ends of the spacing member 9.

In my invention I preferably provide a basic unit comprising a number ofindividual units permanently secured upon one another and a number ofindividual units which may be inserted between the last unit and thecutter-carrying link, each of the latter units being provided with thespecific coupling means illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.

I claim:

1. In combination, in a chain, a link having a pivot pin projectingtherethrough, a second link having a pair of rigidly connected strapsadapted for straddling the first link, the straps having notches in theends thereof adapted to seat against the pivot pin when the straps aremoved endwise toward the pivot pin for initial engagement, a second pinextending through the straps, latch members anchored to the second pinon opposite sides of the straps with normal freedom of tilting movementaway from the straps and having holes in their front portions engageableover the first pin from the ends thereof, and releasable means on thesecond pin for tightening the latch members upon the straps, the lattermeans comprising wing nuts threaded upon the second pin and meanspreventing removal of the nuts from the pin.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the latch members haverear portions bent out of the plane of the front portions and away fromthe straps to effect release of the front portions when the rearportions are forced toward the strap, with the tightening meansreleased.

. JOHN B. GILL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 600,595 Pond Mar. 5, 1898 843,353 McKenna Feb. 5, 19071,193,098 Wheeler Aug. 1, 1916 1,373,300 Cafirey Mar. 29, 1921 1,990,310Rosenberg et al Feb. 5, 1935 2,288,670 Babiary July 7, 1942 2,381,156Gill et a1 Aug. 7, 1945 2,433,606 Gill et al. Dec. 30, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 442,823 Germany Apr. 7, 1927

